


Fate Knows What The Heart Wants

by Lizzyc807



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Captain Swan - Freeform, F/M, cs au ff, cs fanfic, cs ff, cs smuff, emma swan - Freeform, killian jones - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-13
Updated: 2015-02-13
Packaged: 2018-03-12 05:52:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,714
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3345941
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lizzyc807/pseuds/Lizzyc807
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Unlucky in love in the past, these two neighbors have guarded their hearts and put work first in their lonely lives. A chance encounter may just be the medicine that their stubborn hearts need to find true happiness.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fate Knows What The Heart Wants

**_They say True Love is hard to find but even the most stubborn of hearts can’t fight fate….._ **

_Emma_

Emma Swan woke up early that morning with a dull ache from the nasty perp she tagged two days prior. She quickly got ready for the day and set off to seek comfort in her favorite meal of the day. She walked to Granny’s diner for her usual breakfast of waffles or pancakes, sometimes both with lots of sugary maple syrup.

She sat alone at a table and quietly planned how she was going to tag her next perp. She had his pattern figured out and expected to have him in custody by 5:00 if all went well. Most times it didn’t because the nasty buggers never actually came quiet but she hoped he’d be better than the last one.

As a bail bondsperson she moved around often so there really wasn’t any place special she called home or family to call her own. That was why she enjoyed coming to Granny’s; it was warm, noisy, and smelled of a mixture of comfort food and coffee.

 She’d been in town for about 6 months and still didn’t know many people but that wasn’t unusual for her. She liked it that way or so she thought. She often spent a few extra minutes with Granny before taking off so that she could enjoy a bit of normalcy before her perp watch began. Granny was probably the only person she was really friendly with in this new city.

The woman had a dry biting humor that seemed to hide a sweetness that she reserved for some customers. She felt privileged to be one of them.

 Her job kept her busy and she was happy for that excuse.  She’d been burned in the past and she just used that as an excuse to keep her distance from people.  Then there were the times when she wished she had someone to be her last phone call of the day, check in on her, or be her emergency call. Those days weighed on her but her heart just wasn’t ready.

She grabbed the complimentary bag of day old donuts that Granny left for her on the table and got on her way. The sugar encrusted sticky sweet donuts were perfect sometimes when she was stuck on a stake out. It may have been a small gesture but one she greatly appreciated.

She was able to tag the guy but it took a lot longer than she thought it would. He decided to visit a local bar before he got on the train that day and that gave him beer muscles. She got him but he struggled a lot more against her stun gun than she would have liked due to his dulled senses.

She collected her fees for the tag and head home at the usual late hour thwarting any plans she had to go to a movie at the local theater. She walked through the glass revolving door of her apartment building towards the elevator. She noticed a handsome stranger just standing in front of the doors watching the numbers tick along. She’d caught glimpses of him before but most of the time he was disappearing behind the doors before she got there.  She sidled up next to him and noticed that the button was not illuminated.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~E&K~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Killian_

Killian Jones recently moved into an apartment building in walking distance to the law firm that he worked. He was thankful that he was now able to avoid the nightmare commute he once had. He kept late hours so he didn’t have much of a life outside of work these days. He caught the occasional happy hour to be social but his heart wasn’t in it. He was dead set on getting promoted to partner so he kept up appearances for the sake of his career.

Being able to walk to the office allowed him those extra minutes of work that others reserved for commuting home to be with their families. He also liked not having to be a slave to the time schedule for the train.

He kept telling himself that being made a partner at the firm was the most important thing to him but that wasn’t what he really felt in his heart.  He may have been using that as a cover so that he didn’t have to take a chance and risk getting his heart broken again.

Working hard was easy, relationships were hard. The last one he let into his life ended badly about two years ago when he realized she’d been lying to him. Her husband showed up at one of their dinner dates and he ended it on the spot. From that point forward he vowed to throw himself into work and keep focused on himself.

He left early in the morning and came home late in the evening. He’d been living in the new building for about a month and so far he hadn’t met anyone or attempted to meet anyone for that matter.

He’d been working on a case for weeks that was due to go to trial the following morning. New evidence came in late in the day that tossed out the case. His team decided to break early so it freed him up to go home at a semi decent hour.

He was in a good mood on his walk home. He felt light because he knew the client was innocent and justice was served without having to fight for it. He almost went to happy hour with the team but thought better of it. He’d been working late so many nights recently at the office that he was forgetting what his new apartment looked like.

He hummed as he strode through the revolving glass door towards the post box. He picked up his mail and strolled through the empty lobby to the elevator. He stood there waiting for the elevator and going over the day’s events in his head.  He checked the clock on the back wall and that was when he noticed _her_.  

She was the most beautiful woman he’d seen in a very long time. She had long golden blonde hair and glittering green eyes. She had curves in all the right places that gave him pause when he looked to see her staring at up at him. She was grinning and silently glancing towards the elevator.  He followed her eyes to the darkened elevator buttons suddenly realizing he’d forgotten to summon the damn thing.

_Them_

“Going up?” she asked in a soft husky voice.

“Aye.” He responded with a little more accent in his voice than he was used to presenting himself with.

“It helps if you push the button.” She teased pressing the up button to call the elevator.

He grinned feeling his cheeks growing warm.“Ah, I guess that would help.” He scratched behind his ear nervously. It was like she could fill the whole lobby with the light coming from her. He looked over again to see her staring up at him. He felt a zing of electricity shoot between them.

The bell from the elevator broke their gaze. The doors opened before them and he stood back ushering her to go first. If nothing he was always a gentleman.

“What floor?”she asked.

“Fourth Floor.” He said.

“Oh, me too, Apt.403.”

“I’m Apt. 402. I suppose we are neighbors.” He said nervously hiking up his shoulder bag.

“Oh, I was wondering who you were. I knew you’d moved in because I could hear your shower running. Emma Swan.” She said extending her hand to him.

He grasped her hand in a firm handshake letting go slightly. Her hand was soft and warm. He hesitated to let it go. “Killian Jones. I work in the law firm a few blocks down. I’m sorry I haven’t been very neighborly. My case load has been rather heavy lately.” He knew that was a lie but he didn’t want her to think he was an outcast.

“Yeah, I’m not usually around either. I keep a strange schedule myself. I’m a bail bonds agent. I pick up perps for a living.  I keep late hours myself depending on who I’m tracking.” She said smiling sweetly.

“Sounds dangerous.” He said raising a brow. He was intrigued and noticed she didn’t have a ring on her finger.  After what happened in the past he couldn’t be too sure.

“It can be but I’m always cautious.” She said.

“You live here long?” he asked connecting with her eyes again.

“I’ve been here for about 6 months. I can’t say I’ve been knocking on doors either. Haven’t met anyone else in the building.” she said. She couldn’t stop staring into his deep blue eyes. She felt a buzz between them immediately and it was exhilarating. She couldn’t remember the last time she felt this way. She twirled a bit of hair around her finger.

“You have now.” He said smiling. He leaned a little closer to her and caught a faint scent of cinnamon and strawberries.

She looked up into his beautiful blue sparkling eyes and nodded. The sound of the bell caught their attention again and the doors opened. They walked silently next to each other towards their neighboring apartment doors. Each peering shyly at the other as they walked the short distance.

They arrived at his door and he turned to her. “This is me. It was nice meeting you.”

“Yeah, it was nice meeting you too. See you around sometime.” She said as she slowly continued toward her apartment. She looked back to see he hadn’t gone in yet and was watching her. She gave him a slight wave when she reached her door and pushed into her apartment.

He walked through the door and slapped himself against his forehead. He could have kept talking to her, could have invited her in for a drink, and could have said anything to keep her talking. He was a lawyer for gods sake. He spoke for a living and in that moment he found himself at a loss for words. Had he neglected human contact for so long that he’d forgotten how to speak to a woman?

He thought perhaps she liked him too. He detected that she wanted to keep talking. Why did he let her go?

He loosened his tie, grabbed a bottle of beer from the fridge and twisted off the cap. He took a long swig, slammed the fridge door and dropped his jacket on the back of a chair. He would kick himself for this later; he had work to do if he had any chance of getting home at a decent hour tomorrow.

 He hoped he’d get a second chance with her.  He pulled out the files from his brief case for the following day spreading them all over the coffee table in front of him and sat on the couch. He let out a huff of air, shook his head and dug into the pile.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~E&K~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He was a handsome man and until today she had no idea he had such an amazing voice. It was incredibly erotic and sent a shiver down her spine when he spoke. He had a lilting accent that let her know he was originally from somewhere else.

She was disappointed that he didn’t suggest they hang out but she was also kicking herself since she should have suggested it.  She grabbed a bottle of red wine from the counter and cracked it open to let it breathe. She kicked off her boots and tossed her jacket on the chair. She put her firearm in the safe and took a quick shower.

She finished her daily rituals and felt so much more relaxed than she had walking in. She rubbed some strawberry scented lotion on her skin to soften it. She thought of him fondly as she stared in the mirror. She actually flirted and he didn’t notice her twirling her hair like a fool. She felt a bit of embarrassment for that.

It had been awhile since she let anyone into her life. She touched her face realizing she was getting older. She ran her fingers through her damp hair and patted her cheeks lightly looking for any signs of aging. She shook her head and tightened the towel she had around her chest.

She padded back into her bedroom and put on her comfy light pink flannel pajamas and a pair of fluffy yellow socks. The soft textures felt good against her skin after the steamy shower.  

She poured a glass of wine and curled up on the couch. She took a sip and thought about her new neighbor Killian. It seemed he led a life similar to hers with work as a priority. Maybe the reason he didn’t ask her in was because he had work to do or maybe he had a girlfriend. She felt a little disappointment at that latter.

She pulled the perp sheets from her bag and looked them over trying to decide which one to go after next.  Before she knew it she was asleep and dreaming about the possibility of Killian Jones.

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~E&K~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He checked the clock and it was getting extremely late. He got up and rummaged through the fridge for some cold pizza and another beer. He tried to focus on the briefs but all he could think about was if he remembered the color green of Emma’s eyes correctly or how soft her silky hair would feel to his touch.

He watched her twirling it in her delicate fingers and wished they were replaced with his own. He’d just sat back down when he heard his door knob turning. He wasn’t expecting visitors so he grabbed the baseball bat he kept next to the couch, because you could never be too sure when you live in the city, and prepared to meet an intruder. To his shock Emma walked in the door dressed in adorably in cute pink pajamas.

He watched her turn and shut the door behind her then walk with staggered movements towards him. He was dumbstruck and searching for words. She had a glossy look in her eyes and didn’t appear lucid. As she got closer he waved his hand in front of her but she didn’t stop and she bumped into the edge of the couch.

He cocked his head to the side and raised his eyebrow as he carefully watched her. He wasn’t sure what to make of what was happening. This was unbelievable. She continued to walk down the hall towards his bedroom. He opened his mouth to speak to her but quickly thought better of it and continued behind her to ensure her safety.

He’d heard that you should never wake someone who was sleepwalking because it could be detrimental to them. He observed her slowly walk over to his bed, pull back the covers and slip in on one side. She snuggled into his pillow and closed her eyes letting out a little sigh.

He stood back laughing to himself as he rubbed the scruff on his chin. He pinched himself to make sure this wasn’t a bloody dream because he’d been thinking about her so much.

He approached the bed and brushed the flaxen strands of hair away from her angelic face. Her hair was just as soft as he thought it would be and her skin was smooth as silk. She was more beautiful than he remembered and it was only hours ago that he’d met her. She reached forward and grabbed his hand. He noticed that her eyes were still closed.

“Do you have pancakes?” She mumbled.

He laughed. Clearly she had no idea what she was saying or doing. He leaned close to her.

“Lass, wake up. “he whispered.

“Killian.” She mumbled softly.

“Aye, it’s Killian. Do you know where you are?”

“You have pretty blue eyes.” She mumbled.

He smiled and caressed the side of her face.

“Lass, are you alright?”

“It’s warm on the island. Come with me.” She mumbled.

He laughed. He had no idea where she was in her dream but he did wish to join her. He was extremely tired and had a rough day, rough week actually. He didn’t think he was going to get her out of his bed tonight so he went back out and locked the door.  He walked back into his bedroom to grab a pillow and a blanket so that he could sleep on the couch when he found her sitting up with a dazed look on her face.

He walked over and sat on the bed next to her. She appeared to be gazing into his eyes but he could tell she was still asleep. He reached up and touched her face. She leaned in and closed her eyes to his touch. She laid her hand on top of his.”I’m glad you’re here. They all left.” She whispered.

He saw a tear slip down her cheek. She was clearly having some sort of nightmare. She leaned into his chest and sobbed softly. He wrapped his arms around her until she settled. He helped her relax back against his pillow and pulled up the blanket over her. He moved to get up from the bed and she grabbed his hand.

“Stay with me.” she whispered.

She looked so helpless and something must have scared her.  He slid into the bed next to her and held her. At first it was a funny surprise to see her but now he was concerned. He didn’t know if this was something that happened to her before and he didn’t want to leave her alone.

 Her warm body snuggled against him. He hadn’t had someone sleep next to him in a very long time.  She wrapped her arms around him tight pressing her face to his chest. This was certainly not how he expected their next encounter to go or how their first time in bed together would go if he had any say in it but it was something. Before he knew it her gentle breathing lulled him to sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~E&K~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The sound of his alarm going off woke him out of his hazy slumber. He looked down at their tangled limbs and smiled. She had her head laid on his chest and she was snoozing softly. He leaned over to reach the snooze button on his alarm clock when the movement forced her to stir. He looked down to see her raise her beautiful confused green eyes up to meet his.

“Good Morning Lass.” He said smiling.

“Um, Good Morning.”she whispered her voice was thick with sleep. She was trying to remember just how much she had to drink last night and what circumstances could have played out that had her in his bed in her flannel pajamas. She must be dreaming.

She bit her lip hard between her teeth and looked down as she realized she was completely wrapped around him and it was certainly not a dream.

“Are you alright? I can tell you that nothing happened between us if that’s what’s got you worried. You appeared to be sleepwalking and ended up in my apartment.”

“Oh God, I did? I feel alright. I – I was sleepwalking? “ she said in a small voice.

“Aye and talking a bit as well. I take it this hasn’t happened before?” he asked.

She wanted to bury her face into his side and pretend this wasn’t happening. She was so embarrassed that she had no idea what to say. “No, I’ve never sleepwalked before. I’m so sorry to intrude on you this way.” 

“Lass, it’s alright. Honestly I was worried about you. I think you were scared and seeking comfort. You seemed upset.” He said with a hint of concern in his lilting voice.

“I did? What did I say?” she asked.

“Well first you asked me for some pancakes. Then you made a comment about my eyes. Lastly you asked me to stay with you. You were upset so I felt I should. I hope that’s ok I was worried. I fully intended to take the couch.”

She felt a flush creep up on her cheeks that she was certain would rival Rudolph’s nose glowing. She laid her head against his chest and listened to the comforting beat of his heart. She had no idea what to say. She liked this man and she’d just strolled into his apartment and slept in his bed. Apparently wrapped herself around him during the night as if he was her body pillow. She barely knew him and embarrassed herself completely ruining any chance she might have had with him.

His heart was thrumming in his chest. He knew she was embarrassed but she didn’t have to be. Not around him. He stroked her hair as it appeared she needed to collect her thoughts. She sighed against him.

She sat up and shook her head.”I’m so sorry, I have no idea what to say for myself. This isn’t how I’d imagined this going.” She said pointing between them.

“Wait, you imagined us?” he asked.

She gasped as she just realized what she said and closed her eyes. “It seems I can’t keep my foot out of my mouth either.” She said softly.

He grasped her hand and pressed a kiss to the back gently drawing her eyes to his. He had a look of such adoration on his face. “I imagined us meeting a little differently too but this is certainly a unique story to tell our grandchildren one day.  I felt like an idiot the moment I let you walk in your door earlier. Perhaps we can start over?” he asked.

“Our grandchildren?” she asked smiling.

“Perhaps you aren’t the only one who’s putting their foot in their mouth.” He said as he nervously scratched behind his ear.

She held out her hand to him and inched closer.“I’m Emma Swan.”

He smiled at her with his eyes gleaming bright, took her hand shook it.“I’m Killian Jones. Would you like to go out with me sometime Emma? Perhaps we can have breakfast say in about 5 minutes?” he grinned.

“How about you let me make this up to you? Since you were so kind to watch out for me last night how about I grab some from food and coffee from my apartment and bring it back over?” She said smiling.

“That sounds like a good plan, I’ve got an early morning so it will save me some time.” he said.

They disentangled themselves from the blankets and climbed from the bed.

“I’m going to run next door and I’ll be right back.”

“Sounds good. Just walk in. I’ll be getting ready for work.”

She quickly made it back to her apartment. Luckily she shut the door on her way to Killian’s the night before. She ran back to the bathroom to take care of some of her basic needs and fixed herself up a bit.

She grabbed the bag of bagels she had on her counter and quickly made a few mugs of coffee in her Keurig.  She made his coffee the same way she takes hers with a little cream and sugar. Hopefully that would be alright. She was still feeling a bit shocked but she knew she was pressed for time and she was hoping to salvage whatever was between them. She tucked away her embarrassment and walked back over to his apartment. This time she knocked before she entered.

He walked into the room dressed for business in a three piece suit navy blue suit and striped tie. His hair was neatly done and he was smiling. He was gorgeous and sweet. He was too good to be true.  Suddenly she thought perhaps she should have put on some regular clothes too and felt a bit self conscious.

“Wow, let me help you with all of that.”He took the coffee from her and followed her towards his kitchen.  

“Both are made the same. I didn’t know how your took your coffee so I hope it’s alright.” She said biting her lip.

He took a sip of the steaming liquid and smiled.”Perfect, just how I like it.”

“Oh, we have that in common at least.” She said as she brushed a rogue piece of hair behind her ear.

“Would you like butter or cream cheese for your bagel? I have both.” He said reaching into the refrigerator.

“Butter would be great.” She said taking a sip from her steaming mug.

They had a quick breakfast together getting to know the basics about each other. Seemed they had quite a bit in common. She was happy to learn that he was in fact single. He seemed to be happy that she was too. The conversation between them was easy and not awkward at all. She felt better about a possible next meeting with him during each passing moment. Maybe she didn’t screw things up as badly as she thought. They exchanged phone numbers and planned to talk again later. 

She followed him out when he left for the office. It seemed strange not to hug him or kiss him goodbye since she’d spent the night wrapped around his body. The thing was that was the best night sleep she’s had in awhile. She has no idea what game her mind was playing when it had her walk into his apartment. That scared her. She’d never done anything like that before.

She plopped down on her couch and looked at the pages lying in front of her. She had a half a glass of wine still sitting on the table. She hadn’t even drunk the whole glass so she couldn’t blame the alcohol. The last thing she remembered was thinking about how blue his eyes were before she fell asleep on the couch.  They were bluer than she remembered.

She looked at her plan for the day and expected to tag her perp by 3:30. She’d been tracking him and that was the usual time he walked into the local deli for his lottery tickets. This would be a big pay day so she needed things to go according to plan. He was a dangerous one with a lot of priors so she needed to be extra cautious. Anyone who would skip out on their poor old mother deserved to be locked up.

When she looked in the mirror after her shower today she felt happy and confident. She dressed in a nice pair of skinny jeans, her tall black boots, and a blue plaid flannel shirt that would cover her Kevlar vest. She needed to be prepared in case things got rough later.  She grabbed her black leather jacket for an extra layer of protection too. 

She put some coffee in her to go mug and set out to start watch on another scumbag. This one skipped out on his wife after it took their entire life savings, along with a second mortgage on their house to get him out on bail. It was any wonder she was shy about giving away her heart after some of the messes she’s had to clean up.

She sat in her car outside of the apartment building her perp was known to frequent and kept watch. The time alone caused her thoughts to drift to waking up in Killian’s arms that morning. He took care of her when he barely knew her, comforted her, and he stayed. Breakfast was amazing and she hadn’t laughed that much in a long time. She was secretly hoping that her day would actually go as planned so she could see him again later. They didn’t have confirmed plans but maybe she would be bold enough to ask him over for a drink this time.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~K&E~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He spent the day thinking about the angel who slept in his arms the night before and could barely focus on the pages in front of him. She was soft, warm, and sweet. She was also a tough woman with a very dangerous job who was perfectly camouflaged for the type of work she did.

He still couldn’t believe that she’d walked into his life the way she did. Yesterday he was focused on work, a partnership, and content to hide his heart. Today all he could think about was how he could get lost in her eyes and how the sound of her voice caused his heart to beat a little faster. He was in deep trouble already.

He was also troubled by what happened. She said she’d never walked in her sleep before and it was odd that she managed to get out of her apartment and into his safely. He would have to make sure to keep an eye out for her in the future since she had no explanation for this behavior.  She didn’t seem worried but it was also because she was still slightly embarrassed about what happened.

He wanted to call her but he was worried he would seem too eager. It’d only been a few hours since they left each other. He didn’t want to scare her away so he dropped his phone back into his pocket and went back to work.

He had a full caseload that he had to work through and he hoped to get out at a decent hour. They hadn’t made plans but he hoped he would see her again. He suddenly felt the weight of the odd hours he kept.

It was getting close to 7 by the time he was able to look up from his desk. His stomach grumbled as a reminder he should eat. He still had work to do but he really wanted to see Emma again so he decided to take the work home with him instead of staying at the office.

He picked up some take out Chinese food on the way home. He got his usual order and added a few extra eggrolls. The restaurant was only a few short blocks between his office and home; they were also open late. He was becoming somewhat of a regular there lately.

He stood waiting for the elevator just like the previous night only this time he made sure to push the button. He did think about the fact that his misstep with that actually allowed him to meet her. Perhaps fate did intervene in some way.

He kept looking around hoping to catch a glimpse of her. The lobby was close to empty with the exception of a few stragglers. His heart sank when he didn’t see her and the doors to the empty elevator opened. He rode up alone in silence trying to figure out what to do.

He decided not to let his life lead him around. He strolled over with a spring in his step and knocked lightly on her door. He hoped she was home and he also wanted to check on her. He ordered extra eggrolls just in case she might want to join him. He waited a few minutes but there was no answer. He took a deep breath and walked back to his apartment alone. He checked his phone to see if she’d left a message but there was nothing. The legal briefs and Chinese food would have to keep him company tonight. He was certainly disappointed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~E&K~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Emma walked into the building and was a little worse for wear. She had a bandage on her head over her eye, ripped muddy jeans, and a bruised ego.  She was right about this perp, he tried to do some serious damage to her during the take down. Luckily she had her stun gun with her and she was able to subdue him until the police got there. She hated pulling her actual gun unless things got nasty so even though it wasn’t an easy take down it still wasn’t the worst she’s ever had.

She made a trip to the emergency room to have her cut checked out and a trip to pick up her fee for bringing in the creep before heading home. She was extremely happy to be walking in the apartment building after the day she had.

She slowly walked over to the elevator and thought about her encounter with Killian the night before. It still didn’t seem real; he was too good to be true and stuff like that usually only happens in her dreams or movies. She got onto the elevator feeling a little lonely for the first time in a long time.

Her head was killing her. She couldn’t wait to get some aspirin. She wanted to see Killian. It would be as easy as knocking on his door but she didn’t want him to see her like this. She decided that she would be bold and ask him out tomorrow.  

She walked in her apartment and checked her phone for messages. No new calls. She couldn’t expect that he would call her as soon as he got home. If she didn’t hear from him she would call him tomorrow. She did have a niggling that he might have changed his mind about her. She tried to brush that away because she really hoped that wasn’t the case.

She climbed in the shower feeling a little worse than she did before she got home. She was letting her head get the better of her.  She put on her purple silk flannel lined pajamas with the rainbow smiley face pattern all over them. She grabbed some cold pizza from the refrigerator and a bottle of water.   She popped a couple of aspirin for her headache and sank onto the couch.

She hugged the soft throw pillow and closed her eyes thinking that it was a poor substitute for the warm arms that she slept in the night before. She had a lot of strain on her body during the day and as soon as she went still she fell asleep.  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~E&K~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

He thought that he heard shuffling next door at Emma’s apartment. He checked the time and realized it was rather late. He hadn’t given up hope that he might see her that evening until he saw the time.

 He was gathering up the briefs on the table with a plan to head to bed when he heard his door click. He stopped stacking them and turned to see her walking in once again. She was wearing the most adorable pajamas he’d ever seen. Her hair was hanging around her shoulders in blond curls and her green eyes were wide. He also noticed that she looked like she’d been hurt and had a bandage over her eye.

She turned around and shut the door behind her. She followed the same path she did the night before but this time he moved to make sure she didn’t crash into the couch.

She was definitely sleepwalking again because she had the same glossy look in her eyes. She walked by him and her hand brushed against his thigh as she passed. He quickly locked the apartment door and followed her to the bedroom.

He shook his head and laughed. He got his wish but again this wasn’t the way he’d hoped he got to see her. She was snuggling against his pillow and rubbing her feet on his comforter humming softly.

She looked adorable. He wished he knew what happened to her. The bump didn’t look awful but it certainly didn’t look good either. He walked up to her and whispered close to her ear, “Emma, are you alright?”

“Whipped cream and cinnamon.” She mumbled.

He caressed the side of her face and examined the bruise above her eye. She didn’t have a fever and it wasn’t swelling. “Love, do you know where you are?” he asked.

“S’cold. Can you warm it up?”she mumbled.

He pulled the blanket up over her and she wiggled underneath the blankets.

“Killian.” She whispered as she nuzzled into the pillow.

“Aye, it’s me Love.” he said.

“Swim with me.” she said reaching out her hand.

He climbed into bed with her and she nestled close into his side laying her hand over his heart. He’d be lying if he wasn’t happy she was there. No matter how unconventional this was they had a great date that morning and he really liked her.  He leaned over and kissed her bruise softly.

“Maple syrup.” She mumbled.

 “I’m glad you’re here.” He laughed.

“Pickles.” She mumbled.

This was going to be an interesting story to tell her in the morning. Perhaps they could trade tales so he could learn how she was injured. Her warm body calmed him quickly and he fell soundly asleep after a very long day with her safely in his arms.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~E&K~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She woke up with a twinge of pain in her head but warm arms were around her. She opened her eyes and quickly realized she’d done it again. Killian was holding her and she smiled. She wanted to see him and her subconscious won out. She went anyway even though she didn’t want him to see her with this bruise. She touched the sensitive spot lightly suddenly remembering why she had the ache.

Her stirring must have woken him because he shuffled a bit next to her.

“Love, are you alright?” he asked his voice thick with sleep.

She didn’t know what to say. She wasn’t really sorry to be there but she certainly didn’t want him to think she would just show up unannounced whenever she felt like it. They hadn’t even been on a real date. “Uh, I’d like to say I’m sorry for showing up unannounced but I’m not really sorry that I’m here.” She said softly.

He laughed. “Good, because I’m glad you’re here too. “ 

She pulled back and turned on her side so they could face each other. His blue eyes were looking at her attentively and he was smiling. “I wanted to come by last night but I had a run in with a nasty perp and I didn’t really want you to see me like this.”

“I must admit that I was hoping to see you too. I even knocked on your door hoping to entice you with eggrolls but I suppose you weren’t home yet. I’d given up hope and then you came through the door. For the record, your pajamas are adorable.” 

She laughed heartily. “They are extremely comfortable; soft on the inside and silky on the outside. For the record, I love eggrolls. That would have been amazing.”

“I noticed, you were extremely huggable and noted. I tend to frequent Wongs on my way home from the office so if you ever have a craving, call me.” 

“I know Wongs, they do have good eggrolls.”

“So what do you remember from last night?”he asked his voice full of concern.

“The last thing I remember is taking some aspirin, sitting down on the couch, snuggling a pillow and thinking it was a poor substitute for you.”

“In that case.” He said pulling her into his arms and holding her close.

“Yes, much better than a throw pillow.” She said snuggling in.

 “What are we going to do about this? I’ve slept with you twice and I haven’t even taken you on a proper date yet? What do you say I take you out this evening?” he asked.

He was right. This should have felt strange because she barely knew him and now she’s slept with him comfortably twice. It didn’t feel strange at all. It actually felt good to be with him.

“That sounds nice. I was actually going to ask you that same question.” She said.

“So, do you have a penchant for breakfast foods?” he asked.

“Why do you ask?” She said looking up at him with wide eyes.

“Well on both occasions you’ve come here you’ve asked for different breakfast items, waffles, maple syrup, whipped cream, and cinnamon.  Can you crack this code for me?” he asked smiling.

“That’s my usual order at Granny’s.” she said laughing.

“Granny’s Diner?” he asked.

“Yes, breakfast is actually my favorite type of food and I generally order waffles or pancakes. Granny’s serves breakfast all day. I usually go there in the morning and plan my day. Granny is really nice and probably one of the only people I’ve really gotten to know since I’ve moved here.”

“I know the place. I’ve been there several times myself. She makes an excellent pot roast.”

“Now you’re making me hungry.” She said.

“You’re in luck. It just so happens that I make excellent pancakes. How about a breakfast date here with me?” he asked.

“Love to if I’m not imposing. I mean I have stolen your bed two nights in a row.” She said softly.

“You’re not imposing and not stolen exactly. It’s actually been rather nice having you here and I slept better in the last two nights than I have in a long time.” He said squeezing her a little tighter in his arms.

“You too? I thought it was just me.” she asked.

“Aye.” He said gazing into her eyes.

She thought her heart might have skipped a beat when those baby blues locked in on her. She couldn’t look away. His hair was slightly rumpled and his cheeks were a bit flushed. She rapidly blinked to break the gaze.

“Care to assist me in the task Love?” he asked.

“I’ll try, I’m not much in the kitchen but I pick up on things quickly if you show me what to do.” She said with reluctance in her voice.

“Alright, that won’t be a problem. I’d love to show you.” He said.

He pulled back the covers and climbed out from the warm happy place they created groaning at the change in temperature. He slunk off to the bathroom leaving her wrapped up in the blankets.

She looked down to see the smiley faces looking back up at her and felt a blush creep over her cheeks. This was certainly not how she wanted him to picture her. She debated on whether or not she should run home and change, wash up, or whatever.

“It’s all yours Love.” he said wiping his hand across his lips.

“Oh ok. Thanks.” She said in a shy voice.

This wasn’t her; she was bold but for some reason this situation left her at a near loss for words. He made her feel things she’d never felt before.

She heard him in the kitchen as things were clanging and clattering. She hopped out of the bed and decided to just use his bathroom. He’d already seen her so she was going to own it. She brushed her teeth with her finger using a bit of his toothpaste and used a bit of his mouthwash.

She walked out into the kitchen to find him mixing batter and smiling up at her.

“Wow, how can I help?” she said.

“Well, can you gather the butter and any other toppings you might like from the fridge?  I’m just about to start the pancakes.” he said as he stirred the batter.

“That I can do. “she said as she sidled up next to him in the small kitchen and pulled open the refrigerator. You could tell a lot about a person based on what they had in their fridge. Surprisingly when she opened the door it almost mirrored her own. There were some take out containers, beer, milk, various condiments, pancake syrup, and a few other essentials.

She grabbed the tub of butter and the pancake syrup. She’d have to get him some real maple syrup, in the event that he invited her for breakfast again.  She hoped that was the case.

“Where can I get the plates?” she asked.

He was mid-flip when she looked over.

“Right up here in the first cabinet.” He said looking over to the cabinet above while keeping an eye on the griddle.

“You are pretty skilled with a spatula.”

“Lots of years practice. I’ve been on my own for quite awhile. You pick up a few things when you have to.”

“Yeah, I know what you mean.”

She grabbed the plates and placed them on the counter in front of him and sat on one of the stools.  He flipped three pancakes on her plate and three on his own. He truly was impressive in the kitchen. Any man who could whip up a batch of her favorite breakfast food with a minutes’ notice was worth keeping.

“Would you like coffee? I have a Keurig too.” He said.

“That would be great. I still have a wicked head ache from this bump. The guy got me pretty good.” She said.

“Yeah, I noticed that last night. “he said wincing.

“I thought I had him and then he pulled back with an elbow. In the end I got him but he was tougher than I thought. I should have known based on the price on his head that he was going to be rough.” She said.

He placed the mug of coffee in front of her and came around to join her on the stool next to her.  She slathered her pancakes in butter and syrup. He watched her smiling and then did the same.

She placed a forkful in her mouth. The sugary sweet buttery delicious pancake was amazing.

“Wow, these are delicious. You’re amazing. “she gushed.

“Thank you Love, I’m glad you like them.” He grinned.

“What’s your day like?” she asked.

“The usual pile of cases that will keep me busy all day. I’ll barely get in a lunch.”

“Oh, that’s too bad but I can understand having a full day.”

“How about you? What vermin do you have your eye on today. “he asked placing another forkful in his mouth.

“I started surveillance on a new one yesterday. This one’s going to be slippery but he definitely needs to be put away. He likes to drug women and have his way with them.” She said.

“Sounds like a winner. “he said rolling his eyes.

“Oh, they’re all winners but they help pay my bills.” She said taking another forkful.

He nodded, remaining silent since he had a mouthful of pancake. All of the sudden he had a pit of concern in his stomach. He knew that this was her job but somehow he started to feel very protective of her.

“Well, I’m fully trained with a fire arm as well as 4 different kinds of self defense techniques.” She said smiling.  She could sense he was a little worried when she mentioned her perp. This was the kind of thing that seemed to scare guys off.

“I’m glad to hear it. Now I know to keep my hands to myself or perhaps I might end up flat on my back; although, that might not be so terrible.” He said gazing into her green hopeful eyes.

She squeezed his hand on instinct and looked up into his blue eyes. He had a bit of syrup sliding down towards his chin. She swiped her thumb over it catching his bottom lip and caressed the side of his face.

“You had a bit of syrup.” She whispered without breaking her gaze.

She licked her bottom lip and noticed him looking. He leaned in closer and she was helpless to stop herself being pulled towards him. His lips pressed gently to hers and her arms instinctively went up around his neck.

His arms wrapped around her and pulled her closer deepening the kiss. His tongue swept across her bottom lip and he could taste the sweet maple flavor. Her lips were warm and pliant against his. He wanted to stay lost in this moment but he knew he had work looming.

He pulled back gently capturing her lips once more for a small peck and smiling. She still had her eyes closed and a smile slowly grew across her lips. That was the most amazing kiss he’s had in a very long time. She opened her eyes and looked at him through her lashes.  

“I’ve wanted to do that since I met you.” He said scratching behind his ear.

She reached up and grabbed his hand pressing a soft kiss to the back. “Me too.” 

He smiled at her and she noticed the dimple on his cheek and the crinkles on the side of his eyes. She was almost certain her subconscious was kicking her to be brave with this sleepwalking act and take a chance with him.

“Well, I hate to cut our date short but I’ve got to get ready for work. I’ve got a client meeting early this morning.” He said frowning.

“Thank you for making me breakfast. It was amazing, better than Granny’s. Don’t tell her I said that.” she said smiling.

“I’m flattered Emma. Of course I won’t say a word. I’ve seen Granny’s bite.” He said.

“Oh yes, She’s a feisty one.” Said Emma smiling.

“What’s your schedule like this evening?”

“I don’t have any plans beyond the perp watch.”

“Would you like to go out with me on a proper date?” he asked smiling.

“That would be nice. Does 7:30 work for you?” she asked.

“Aye, that’s perfect. I’ll pick you up at your door.” He said grinning.

“Great, sounds like a plan.” She said climbing from her stool.

He walked with her to the door. His hand was resting against the small of her back and it was driving her crazy. She turned to face him and he rubbed his hands up and down her arms. The cool satin fabric was soft to touch.  

“Thank you for everything, keeping me safe, the wonderful breakfast, and the amazing kiss.” She said smiling.

“Amazing?” he asked hopeful.

She nodded.

He caressed the side of her face and pushed up her chin. He examined the bruise over her eye, kissed it softly and then pressed his lips to hers. She closed her eyes and relished in the feel of his supple lips and soft tongue brushing against hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he held her at her waist. This kiss was more amazing than the first.  She was stunned into silence when she pulled away. If he kept kissing her like that she wasn’t going to leave.  

“ I’ll see you later.” She said breathless.

“Aye, 7:30.” He said grinning.

She walked through the door and slowly to her own apartment turning back to see him waving. She stopped and waved before she walked inside feeling the loss immediately. It was nice having someone to say Good Morning to and wake up with. It made her wonder what she’d done so wrong in the past not to have that.  

 Once she was inside he closed the door and turned pressing his back against it and blowing out a breath.  He sucked on his bottom lip and could still taste the sugary sweet maple flavor that was on her lips. She was amazing and he could get used to this.

It was only two days but it felt like so much longer. He really enjoyed having someone to spend his free moments with and suddenly started to realize he’d been denying  himself this for too long.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~E&K~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She couldn’t keep the smile off of her face the entire day. All she could think about was the kiss and the fact that she would see him later for an actual date. He was the first guy that she really cared to think about for more than five minutes in a really long time. He was smart, witty, warm, and caring. Not to mention the fact that he could make her favorite food and it was delicious.

She had an uneventful day of perp watching. She took photos and jotted notes in her daily journal as she tracked the disgusting scumbag. If she was lucky she would have him tagged within a few days if she timed it right.

She made a quick stop at the grocery store on her way home. She picked up a bottle of real maple syrup for Killian along with other essentials that she knew she was running low on at her place. She was hopeful that they might be able to share that syrup again. She had about an hour before he was due to pick her up so she rushed back quickly to get ready.

She decided on a black leather skirt, tall black boots and a soft red v neck sweater. So far he’d really only seen her in pajamas with the exception of their first meeting. She was so thankful she’d been wearing something decent. Most of the time she slept in worn T-shirts and underwear so things could have gone in a very different direction.

She checked the time and the clock showed 7:15 so she quickly checked her makeup and primped her curls one more time to make sure she looked her best. She was thankful for the cover-up she’d gotten to hide her latest injury. It was barely noticeable. She walked out to her living room and made sure everything looked presentable. She’d spent two nights in his apartment but he’d never been inside of hers before.

She suddenly felt a little nervous so she poured a glass of water and sat at the counter to wait.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~E&K~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He had a brutal day at the office. He was swamped with old briefs and new briefs continued to pile on his desk.  He smiled throughout the day with the memory of the amazing kiss he shared with Emma earlier that morning and the anticipation of their date that evening.

He was looking forward to getting to know her even more and hopefully getting to the bottom of her sleep walking.  He made a point to pack up his briefcase at 6:30 so that he would make it home on time. He picked up a bouquet of flowers from the shop on the corner for her. He felt like he was walking a little lighter on his way home that night.

He stepped into the lobby and it was a lot fuller than it normally was given the time of evening he arrived was much earlier. He made it up to his apartment with thirty minutes until he was to arrive at Emma’s door.  He laid the flowers on the counter and took a fast shower.

He dressed in dark pair of jeans and a white button down shirt with a slight light blue stripe running through it. He pulled on his black leather jacket and boots. He ran his fingers through his hair as he walked by the bathroom and walked quickly towards the door. He grabbed the bouquet, his keys, and his wallet before heading out to meet her.

He walked the short distance to her door and knocked lightly. He couldn’t believe that he was starting to feel nervous. He took a breath and the door opened in front of him to her beautiful smiling face.

“Emma, you look stunning.” He said.

She stood in front of him with her mouth slightly open as she took him in. She stepped back slightly allowing him enough room to come in.

“You look amazing.” She said.

“These are for you.” He said holding out the bouquet.

She smiled and took the beautiful wildflowers holding them up to her nose taking in their scent.  She closed her eyes and breathed in their amazing scent.  

“These are beautiful.  Thank you. Let me get a vase for them. Would you like something to drink?” she asked.

“No, I made a reservation for us so we have to leave rather quickly. I hope that is ok.” he said.

She had one glass vase in the cabinet that was left over from a centerpiece that she bought from a charity auction. She pulled it down and filled it with water. She looked over her shoulder and smiled.

“That sounds great. I’ll just put these in water and we can go.” She said.

She unwrapped them and put them into the vase arranging them slightly. They were a beautiful mixture of wild flowers. They happened to be her favorite.

“How was your day? No accidents I hope.” He asked.

He looked around and her place was arranged just like his and she also appeared to have a modest living space.  Their apartments were identical in layout with the exception of the furniture and colors.

She placed the vase on the counter in front of him.

“No, everything went smoothly today. Just surveillance. How about you? “ 

 “It was a busy day, I barely had a chance to breathe.”

“If you aren’t up for going out I understand.” She said softly.

“Love, I’ve been looking forward to this all day. In fact it’s what got me through today.”

She walked up next to him leaned up and kissed him on the cheek. He smiled at the sweet gesture.

“I’m ready if you are.” She said with a gleam in her eye.

“Great, I made the reservation at Tony’s, about two blocks down.”

“Oh the Italian place, I know it. We could walk there.” 

“You don’t mind? I tend to walk everywhere and I didn’t want to assume.”

“Of course not, I do the same thing. We live so close to everything and there are trains so close that it doesn’t make sense to drive most of the time. I do have a little car that I keep in the garage when I do surveillance but most of the time I don’t use it.”

“Great, then it’s settled. We’ll walk. It’s a beautiful night.” He said walking to her door. She pulled on her black leather jacket and met him at the door. “Ok, now I’m ready.” she said taking his arm.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~E&K~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 It was a clear night so their stroll to the restaurant was unencumbered and they made great time getting there. Since it was a weeknight Tony’s wasn’t overly packed so their table was ready right away. They were informed by the hostess that a jazz band would be playing later that evening and they expected it would draw a crowd.

The possibility of dancing made her nervous at first but the thought of being in Killian’s arms made her feel more at ease.

The smell of garlic was heady in the air. The waitress showed them to a romantic candle lit table in the corner of the room. The dark wood booth surrounded a table covered with a red and white checkered table cloth. There were place settings for two and fanned cloth red napkin sat at each place.

Emma looked around the room with wide eyes taking in the scene. “This place is so nice. I’ve always wanted to come here.”

“I’ve heard others talk about it at the office and have been anxious to try it but I didn’t want to come alone. It’s nice to be here with you.”He reached for her hand and carefully held it across the table.

She smiled back sweetly and gave his hand a little squeeze.  The waitress came out with glasses of water, menus and a basket of breadsticks. They noshed on breadsticks as they looked at their menus. It was a family style restaurant so they chose a few dishes that they both wanted to share and ordered a bottle of red wine.

Emma took a sip from her glass. “What do you think of the city so far?”

“I like what I’ve seen but I don’t think I’d fully had my eyes open until recently.” He said as he gazed into her eyes.  She looked radiant as the candlelight flickered against her creamy skin. He’d swear he saw her cheeks flush pink.

“It’s a lot like other cities I’ve been to but I know what you mean. This one seems to have a certain charm that others have lacked. “she said in a husky tone as her eyes flicked up to meet his.

“You don’t say. Charm huh?” he said taking a sip of his wine.

“Yes, in abundance.“ she grinned as she took another sip from her glass.

 They shared their favorite Italian dishes and a bottle of red wine before heading out to the make shift dance floor. The band was playing and they were having a great time dancing. She felt light on her feet as he carried her around the dance floor and she laughed so hard when he showed her the moves he made up.  She couldn’t remember the last time she had this much fun.

The band took a break and they took that as their cue to head back to their table. Emma felt the warmth coming through her clothes from their dance. They sat back down at their table and she drank some water to cool down.

“Emma, I’ve had the most amazing time with you tonight.” He said smiling.

“Me too. I’m so glad that we did this. I don’t know about you but this is the most fun I’ve had in such a long time. Thank you for bringing me.”

“I guess we should be going. It’s getting late.” He said frowning. He was already anticipating having to leave her and he was getting used to spending time with her. He liked not sleeping alone even if it was just that.

“Yes, we should head home.” She said taking a last sip of water before she grabbed her coat and slipped it on.

They walked outside and the temperature had dropped a bit since they got there.  Killian pulled her into his side and wrapped his arm around her. They walked slowly towards home and she snuggled into his side. She was already dreading leaving him and going to bed alone after sleeping so soundly with him the last two nights even though she had no idea how she’d gotten there.

They made it back to the apartment building and for the first time walked through the door together. Somehow the view seemed different this time. He wasn’t alone, he was with her. She made everything seem brighter and better.  

He took her hand and they walked over to the site of their first meeting, the elevator. He leaned forward and pushed the button. She looked at him with a grin on her face.

“I don’t think I’ll be able to look at that button without thinking of you.” 

“I feel the same way.” She said gazing up at him smiling.

He lifted their joined hands and pressed a soft kiss to the back of hers. The elevator doors opened wide and they walked in together. She leaned in to him, put her head on his shoulder, and sighed. It barely seemed as though they’d been in the car when the doors popped open again. It felt like time was moving too fast. They strolled the short distance to their apartments passing Killian’s and moving straight to hers.

He wrapped his arms around her and she put her arms around his neck tickling the hair at the nape of his neck. “A proper goodnight kiss is in order at the end of a date.” He said cheekily.

“I wholeheartedly agree.” She leaned up and pressed her lips to his. The kiss was soft and sensual, tongues sliding against each other and soft presses of their lips together. It was more intimate than their kisses earlier and felt like the promise of a lot more.

She broke apart from him hesitantly and smiled sweetly as she saw his eyes were still closed. “Thank you for a wonderful date. It was amazing. “

“Thank you for going with me. I hope you’ll go out with me again.“ She caressed her hands down his arms and captured his hands locking their fingers. She looked up into his hopeful blue eyes and pressed another soft kiss to her lips. “I’d love to.”

She turned and opened the door to her apartment.

“Goodnight Emma.” He said reluctantly.

“Goodnight Killian.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~E&K~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She walked inside and closed the door. She missed him already and she felt like a fool. How could she have fallen for him in just a few short days? He was amazing, wonderful, sweet and damn it he could make her favorite food better than anyone.  She should have asked him in. She should have asked him to stay but it was a weeknight and he had work the next day. Why was it easy for unconscious Emma to just go for what she wanted but lucid Emma couldn’t take the risk?

She knew what she had to do. She rushed back to her room and ran through her bed time rituals. She pulled on a cute pair of black satin pajama shorts, a soft grey T-shirt and a pair of grey polka dot knee socks. She touched up her lips with a little gloss and pulled on her fuzzy slippers.

She pulled on her short terry cloth robe and grabbed her toothbrush stuffing it into the pocket of her robe.  She picked up the little gift bag with the maple syrup that she got for Killian and walked out of her apartment.

 She wondered if any of the other neighbors saw her during her night walks. She quickly walked over to Killian’s door and got her nerves under control.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~E&K~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He felt like he had lead in his shoes as he walked back to his apartment. He didn’t want to leave her. He wanted to ask her to stay, come home with him, sleep with him. He knew it had only been a few short days and he was a gentleman. He was really falling for her and he didn’t want to mess things up. He was being a coward but he’d had his heart broken so badly that he was scared. He wanted to be with her and maybe his comment about grandchildren was true. She could be the one who captures his heart and protects it. He wanted it to be her.

He entered his cold apartment regrettably alone and walked back into his room to get ready for bed. He had a long day ahead of him that started early in the morning.

Killian came walking into the room and sat on the couch. He looked at the briefs calling to him and packed them into his case. He just didn’t feel up to working after having such a great date with her. He picked up his phone and thought about calling her but the sound of his door knob clicking caught his attention.

His heart leapt in his chest at the thought of her sleepwalking into his apartment again. He stood in anticipation as she walked in and closed the door behind her. She slowed facing the door before she turned to face him. Her eyes were focused on him.

He was wearing a pair of navy cotton pajama pants that hung low on his hips and a white v-neck T-shirt. She didn’t think he could get any better looking but it kept happening. He had his mouth agape as he looked her over.  She gulped in air and smiled as she tried to shake off her nerves.

This time was different. She was smiling and her eyes were not glossy. He watched her close her eyes and take a deep breath.

“Emma?”

“Killian, I’m not asleep. I hope you don’t mind me walking in like this.” She paused and took another breath. “It’s just when I’m asleep my body seems to do what my heart tells it to do. When I’m awake my mind gets in the way and reminds me of the pains of the past. I get scared. I didn’t want to listen to my mind, I wanted to listen to my heart so I’m here. I didn’t want you to leave. I wanted you to stay. I should have asked you. Every time I’ve left you at the door since I met you my heart asked me to tell you to stop. I seem to have difficulty listening to it. “she said honestly as she stood frozen in place.

He suddenly remembered he could move and quickly strode over to her. He pulled her into his arms placing a kiss on her head.  She dropped her bags to the floor. “Thank god one of us is brave. I’ve been sitting here kicking myself since the moment you closed your door. You have no idea how hard it was to walk back here without you. I was just about to call you when you showed up. I feel the same way Emma. I’ve been so silly in trying to stay back when all I want to do is run to you. Do you know how many times I picked up my phone to call you these past few days? You’re all I can think about. “

She felt her body relax as soon as his arms were around her. The words made her heart soar. She was so happy that it wasn’t just her that felt this way, crazy as it was.

 “I’m so relieved to hear that because I thought it was just me.” She squeezed him tight and she felt him kiss the top of her head again. She pulled back and looked into his eyes. He was smiling and he looked so hopeful.

“I brought something for you.” She said as she leaned down and picked up the little bag from the floor and extended it to him.

He cocked his head to the side and took the bag from her. He opened it, looked down and laughed.”Maple Syrup.” He said grinning.

“Well pancakes are always better with the real stuff.” She said smiling shyly.

“Does that mean I can persuade you to stay with the promise of pancakes?” he had a look of hope in his eyes.

“I don’t need the promise of pancakes, I just need you.” He looked down to see her gazing up at him with adoration in her eyes. This brave beautiful woman wanted to be with him. He pulled her close and kissed her softly. His heart felt so full in that moment it could burst. 

“Good, then let’s get you to bed. It’s getting late and if we get up early I’ll gladly make you pancakes.” He said grinning.

He took her hand and led her back to the bedroom. She felt a little shy walking in for the first time wide awake. She took off her robe revealing her pajamas and placed it on the chair near the door. She turned to see him smiling.

“You like?” she asked seductively.

 “Aye, soft and sexy; I think they are my favorite yet.” He said raising an eyebrow pronouncing the T very hard.”Although I must say you do look adorable in smiley faces.” 

She threw herself back on the bed with a bounce and laughed as the blankets and pillows fluffed around her. He did the same falling next to her. She snuggled close to his side. “I can’t imagine what it’s been like for you the past few nights just watching me walk in here.”

He scratched his fingers up and down her arm lightly.”Well at first I was surprised, then concerned for your safety, then amused by your entertaining conversation, and finally at peace with the world having you in my arms.” She sighed into his chest.”What if I fall asleep and try to walk again.”

He brushed the long silky curls back over her shoulder and caressed her face lightly with his fingers.”I’ll keep you safe no matter where you go.“ he said gazing into her eyes.

She looked up and smiled at him. “How did I get so lucky to find you?” She gripped the bottom of his T-shirt and played with the hem.

“I’m not sure it was luck at all Love, I’d say fate played a hand that day. Until that point we were two ships passing in the night. It just goes to show one small change can bring you more happiness than you thought possible.”

She turned on her side to face him pressing her body against his.”I am really happy when I’m with you.” The warm soft curves of her body were driving him crazy. “I’m happy too. I never thought that would happen again.” He leaned forward and kissed the tip of her nose. She wrapped her arm around him and she ran her fingers up and down his back lightly scratching.

She curiously searched his face mapping out every inch. His eyes were blue around the rim but the pupils were blown wide. “Love, If you keep touching me like that I may not be able to be a gentleman.” He moved his hand up and down the curve of her hip softly.

“Maybe I don’t want you to be a gentleman.” Her voice was husky and she peered at him through her lashes. She liked him and she wanted his body close to hers, she wanted to feel him. He touched her heart in a way that she never thought would be possible and she felt safe.  

“Oh that’s a dangerous remark Love, are you certain?” he said blinking. “I’ve decided not to hold back. I want to let myself be happy and I want to be happy with you.” She leaned forward and pressed a soft sensual kiss to his lips caressing his bottom lip with her tongue.

She pulled back to see his eyes were closed and he was smiling. “I could kiss you all night Love.”  She moved closer and put her leg between his, she could feel his arousal against her thigh. “I’m counting on that.” His hand caressed the delicate curve of her body and teased her nipple as his lips crashed into hers.  His tongue met hers in a sensual dance as his supple lips slid against hers softly.

 His Hands traveled under her T-shirt. She rose up and allowed him to pull it over her head leaving her bare on top. She could feel the heat rising in her body with each sensual kiss and touch.”So gorgeous Love.” he remarked as he looked over her body.

She rubbed her knee back over his hard arousal providing some friction for him and relief for her. He groaned in pleasure at the gesture “Mmm that feels good.”

Her hands toyed with the rim of his shirt pushing it up and exposing his toned body. She brushed her fingers through the soft strands of hair on his chest. He sat up and pulled his shirt over his head giving her a magnificent view of his body.

He pulled her close dropping back onto the bed, softly his hands traveling over her soft curves as his lips captured hers once again. His warm hands on her soft skin felt so amazing. It’d been so long since she felt such a gentle touch.

She let her hands travel over his arms and shoulders feeling each hardened muscle. He had an amazing body that she hoped to explore every inch of. His lips traveled down her chin to her neck capturing the space by her shoulder that sent a spike of pleasure through her. She whimpered when he found her most sensitive spot .His scruff tickled against her skin as he continued to kiss down her body.

She scratched her fingers through his dark wavy locks as she let the sensations go through her. “That feels good. “ He pressed soft open mouthed kisses across her collarbone.

She pulled his face up to her own and captured his lips into a soft sensual kiss. She rolled him on top of her and he settled in between her thighs. His arousal lined up with her warm core. She rubbed her hips back and forth grinding against him. He deepened the kiss and his soft hands explored her body.

She wrapped her leg around his body and pulled him closer. He groaned in pleasure as she slid against him and the pressure was more intense. His fingers dipped into her waistband in search of where she needed him most. She mewled in pleasure as he touched her softly at first and then pressed harder dipping a finger into her. She closed her eyes as the pleasure of what he was doing took her over.

“Killian, I want to feel you. I want to be with you.” She breathed against his ear as she captured his earlobe in her mouth and sucked softly.   He stopped and looked up to see her eyes blown wide with lust and a smile on her face. He caressed her cheek and gazed into her eyes. “I want you too, Love.”

He climbed from the bed and went into his dresser drawer to pull out a box of condoms. He broke open the box and took one of the foil packages and placed it on the bed. Emma slid off her socks and out of the rest of her clothing. He watched in awe as he looked over her beautiful body.

“Emma, you’re beautiful.”

She felt the blush creep over her cheeks. She’d done this before but somehow this felt more intimate. He pulled off his clothing and she watched him hungrily. He smiled when he caught her.

Every last inch of him was gorgeous from head to toe. He crawled up over her body and settled between her thighs. “God you feel so good.” He said his voice strained.

She reached down and stroked him as he pressed kisses along her neck and down her chest. She could feel him hardening as she stroked him. His hand traveled down her body over her soft curves and then to her most sensitive place dipping his finger inside and stroking her lightly. “You’re so wet.”

She thought she was going to go mad with want if he didn’t take her soon. She stroked his velvety skin harder as her own pleasure increased. “Easy Love, I won’t last if you keep that up.” 

“You feel so good, I just want you inside of me.” she whispered as he continued to drive his fingers in and out of her.  His lips captured her pert nipple between his lips. He sucked and laved softly as he continued to pleasure her with his fingers.

She slowed her strokes as she felt her body teetering on the edge. She let her hands fall as a wave of pleasure carried her over the edge. “Killian” she called out breathless. He continued to worship her body until she came down from high.

He grabbed the condom, opened the foil package and wrapped it around his hard arousal. He looked to see her completely wrecked and smiling at him. She pulled him forward and captured his lips, plunging her tongue in his mouth as he lined himself up with her heat.

They groaned with pleasure as he slipped inside of her. He stretched her completely. “You feel so good Love.” he groaned. He began thrusting in her and she bit down on his shoulder.  At first it was soft and sensual and then he took her harder she tilted her hips up to take him in further. He hit her in a spot that was making her see stars. “Killian, right there. “ she breathed and she fell over the edge once more. He felt her walls fluttering around him and he chased his own release as she rode out wave after wave of pleasure.  He lay on top of her spent and sated. She laughed silently and let out a breath.

“That was.. “ she huffed. “ Amazing...”he huffed.

He pressed his lips to hers softly. He let his forehead drop to hers and gazed into her soft green eyes. “You are so brilliant Emma. “  She touched the side of his face and kissed him.

He slipped out of bed and went to the bathroom to clean up. She was lying on his pillow under the blanket when he got back. She patted the bed for him to join her. He eagerly climbed in and pulled her close to him. She laid her hand over his heart and looked up at him. She felt completely relaxed and happy. He picked up her hand and pressed a kiss to her fingertips placing it back over his heart.

“Be careful with my heart Emma. I’m entrusting you with it.” She felt her own heart flutter at those words. He didn’t need to be scared of her she would protect him.

“Don’t worry; I will carry it in my own.”  He kissed her softly on the top of her head and she closed her eyes.

He lightly ran his fingers up and down her back until she was sleeping soundly. He looked down on this beautiful angel and shook his head. He’d never understand how fate worked but in that moment he didn’t care.  Her soft breathing lulled him to sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~E&K~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The sound of his alarm woke him. He breathed a sigh of relief when he looked to find the woman he cared for safely tucked in next to him.   She peered up at him with her sparkling green eyes and smiled. “I’m still here.” She said happily. “Perhaps the key to getting you to stay put is to make sure you’re really tired.” He said cheekily.  “You could be right; I guess we’ll have to test that theory again tonight.” she said grinning.  He hugged her tight. “That sounds good to me Love.”

He leaned over to turn off the alarm clock and turned back to see her smiling face nestled in his pillow. He rolled forward and pulled her close.”I believe I promised you some pancakes Love?” he asked. “Sounds good.” She said capturing his lips in a soft kiss.  


End file.
